Students across Bedford Borough will be anxiously waiting for their A-level results this week (15 August), and as (at least for the majority) this will be their first time, we’ve pulled together some advice about what will happen on A-level results day.
See below for a timeline of events, when results and information will become available, and what to do if you don’t get the results you were hoping for.
A-level results: What will happen on the day?
Bedford Borough Council have issued a timeline of what will happen on A-level results day, so you can be sure you don’t miss a thing.
- UCAS Hub will update at around 8am on the morning of results day, which is 15 August this year (2024). Every year some students stay up all night just in case the update arrives early. Save your sleep, you won’t find the results any earlier.
- When you do log in, you’ll be able to find out whether your first university choice has confirmed your place. If it has, the Hub will show your offer as unconditional.
- A hotline phone number should be listed on the university’s website, or it might have been sent to you in advance. If not, phone the university’s normal phone number and make it clear that you are an existing offer holder, not a Clearing applicant.
- Sometimes universities can take a long time to make a final decision, but they are not supposed to keep people in limbo. If you think a university is being unreasonable and causing you to miss out on a place that you could get through Clearing then contact UCAS for advice.
- Even if your grades are lower than your offer, it is commonplace for universities to accept students who have missed their offer by one grade (maybe even two), so don’t panic, speak to the University as soon as you can and see what they say.
- Even if you have been confirmed by your firm choice, you don’t have to go there. Where you study is your choice and if you want to go somewhere else, you can go into Clearing by tapping the ‘Decline my place’ button on Hub.
- On results day, Clearing doesn’t open until 1pm, so you’ve still got time to consider some options. Once you decline your place you can’t undo it – so make certain that you’re sure you want to go into Clearing.
Accommodation options
Most universities will guarantee accommodation for all first-year students, including those who come through Clearing.
However, when you’re speaking to universities via Clearing, always ask if they make a first-year accommodation guarantee – and what accommodation it covers.
You can also check this before you even get on the phone.
Take a look at the website of each university, and in particular, its Clearing pages where you should be able to find relevant information about accommodation options for Clearing applicants, including prices and which halls still have rooms available.
What if you don’t get the results you hoped for?
This is a worry of every student and no matter how many times it’s repeated there will always be those worries. That’s normal and it’s perfectly understandable to wonder what will happen next if you don’t get the results you wanted or needed.
First of all – don’t panic.
There are multiple options for you that will mean you might still be able to go to university but also some that will give you a second chance. There is always a plan B.
The first port of call for many in this situation is to contact UCAS. The best thing instead is to head to their website for advice on the best course of action.
This includes talking to your school or college and also the Universities you have applied for. They also advise on Clearing and what to do if you want to appeal your grade.
Full information on what to do if you get unexpected grades can be found on the UCAS website.
If you’re also not sure what you want to do, that’s ok too. Speak to family and friends, or a careers advisor. The National Careers Service Exam Results helpline offers judgment-free advice, for free, on the phone or by webchat.
Bedford Borough Council’s Jobs Hub also offers support for students, providing advice about education and training options, help with skills, and job search assistance, and can be contacted at 01234 223510 or via jobshub@bedford.gov.uk.
And there are options like internships, gap years and even changing direction completely and going straight into work.
While education throughout your life is important, people lean in through many different ways, so not getting your A-levels or going to University is ok too.
People like Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Mark Twain, Richard Branson, Katy Perry, John Travolta, Harry Styles, Rober Downey Jr, and two of the co-founders of the Bedford Independent chose to learn vocationally instead of University and they all seem to be doing ok.
